Published May 11 2016
Also, advancing economic development and considering sign code changes
Monday's extended study session was a busy one for the City Council. Councilmembers took action on several items including the adoption of an emergency interim marijuana ordinance; approving expanded regulatory implementation tools for staff to use in responding more quickly to emerging economic development opportunities; and putting those tools to immediate use.
Marijuana Ordinance
Councilmembers adopted emergency interim regulations limiting the number of licensed retail marijuana stores in Bellevue to one per Bellevue subarea, provided a store location is allowed by zoning and meets separation requirements. The regulation also adds a 100-foot buffer between retail marijuana outlets and residential land use districts. A public hearing is required within 60 days. The ordinance takes effect immediately and has a six-month duration.
Economic development and regulatory tools
Later, council members spoke in favor of expanding the use of regulatory tools to advance the council's economic development priorities, adopted last month. These tools ensure that city staff are positioned to respond to state and federal mandates and time-constrained opportunities. They include flexible development agreements, interim official controls, narrowly scoped Land Use Code amendments and contract rezones.
The council had asked staff to explore and experiment with new techniques to generate efficiencies in advancing planning and code development work and to respond more quickly to emerging economic development opportunities.
Taking immediate advantage of these regulatory implementation tools, the council unanimously supported moving ahead with the following actions:
- Advancing a development agreement to allow Kemper Development Company's pedestrian bridge across Northeast Sixth Street, connecting Lincoln Square and the Lincoln Square expansion project currently under construction. The council will hold a public hearing on May 16 to hear public comment on the proposed agreement.
- Initiating interim official controls for two projects:
- Temporary regulations to allow the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to locate in a tenant space in the Plaza Building, a space that has remained vacant and currently is not zoned for financial institutions.
- Providing additional flexibility to help businesses in the BelRed area required to relocate due to Sound Transit's East Link project.
Final action by the council on these interim official controls is planned for May 16, and a public hearing will be held within 60 days of adoption.
Sign Code amendment
The council considered a high-rise sign code amendment to reduce a corporation's minimum square footage requirement from 180,000 to 75,000 square feet for the placement of high-rise signs.
The practical effect of the change on the skyline would be negligible, but a potentially broader group of users would be permitted to have signs. The design requirements governing size, number of signs per building and location of those signs would remain in effect. Councilmembers are prepared to move forward with the ordinance next week.